According to the Census Bureau, individuals, families, or households are considered to be living in poverty if their total incomes fall below designated levels:
Poverty Threshold
a.k.a. poverty level
The lowest income that a family or household of a certain size or composition needs to maintain a basic standard of living
Official method of determining the poverty threshold was established by the Social Security Administration (SSA)
Thresholds are based on economical food plans
A study of food consumption found that the average family of three or more spent approximately one third of its after-tax income on food
Poverty thresholds are adjusted annually based on changes in the consumer price index (CPI)
Poverty Rate
The percentage of individuals or families in the total population that are living in poverty
Poverty in the United States
According to the Census Bureau, individuals, families, or households are considered to be living in poverty if their total incomes fall below designated levels:Poverty Threshold
Poverty Rate